The present invention relates to rims for bicycle wheels with tubeless tires.
A rim of the type specified above is, for example, illustrated in FIG. 2 of the European patent application EP-A-0 790 141. In this known solution, the valve body is directly connected to the inner and outer peripheral walls of the rim. The problem with this rim, and those like it, is that they: 1) are expensive and difficult to manufacture the structure, 2) are slow to assemble the structure and tire, 3) leak air from the chamber defined between the tire and the outer peripheral wall of the rim, and, finally, 4) cannot use a standard valve body normally used for bicycle wheels with tires provided with inner tubes.
With a view to overcoming the above shortcomings, the subject of the present invention is a bicycle wheel rim, comprising an inner radial wall having a first through hole; an outer radial wall having a second through hole aligned with the first through hole; side walls connecting the inner and outer radial walls together; and a removable tubular element located through the first and second through holes. The removable tubular element comprises a tubular body having first and second ends; an outwardly extending flange located on the first end which abuts the outer radial wall proximate to the second through hole. As described, the tubular body is of a length sufficient to cause the second end to extend inwardly beyond the inner radial wall and the rim has a valve connection compatible with a valve body for a bicycle tire. Finally, the rim has a removable locking mechanism adapted to engage the removable tubular element and to detachably secure the removable tubular member in position with the inner and outer radial walls secured between the outwardly extending flange and the locking mechanism.